City moves to designate downtown area for tour bus parking

Published: Thursday, January 31, 2013 at 4:21 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, January 31, 2013 at 4:21 p.m.

By the spring, tour buses visiting downtown Wilmington should have a new prime-time parking space.

At its Jan. 17 meeting, the city's Downtown Parking Advisory Committee voted to designate the 200 block of North Water Street as tour bus parking. Before signs are put up, traffic engineers need to sign off on the change, said Betty Gurganus, the city's parking manager.

The Water Street space – adjacent to the Water Street parking deck – is a passenger loading/unloading zone. But the official city-designated bus parking area is farther away at the 1100 block of North Fourth Street, between Swann and Nixon streets. Gurganus said the Fourth Street location is on the route of Wave Transit's free downtown trolley.

The change was made in response to a complaint about a tour bus that was ticketed last year and departed downtown early. In December, Wes Moore, who has operated Wilmington Trolley Co. for 15 years, wrote city leaders about an October parking incident that left him embarrassed for the city.

According to Moore, a church group from Winston-Salem boarded a bus to take a trip to the coast. The itinerary included a trolley tour in Wilmington, followed by lunch and shopping downtown. After that, the bus was going to depart for Myrtle Beach, S.C.

When the bus arrived, Moore directed the driver to park in the loading zone at the foot of Dock Street, which was empty. After the trolley tour, the bus had a yellow parking ticket on it. When the driver asked where he could move the bus, Moore had no good answer.

"They ended up skipping shopping and lunch and just headed on to Myrtle Beach," Moore said, noting that 45 people left without shopping or eating lunch.

Councilwoman Margaret Haynes called the incident disappointing, and Councilman Neil Anderson said the city needed to be more proactive.

Gurganus said the new Water Street bus parking area should not block traffic. The 80-foot space also has no parking meters. Because buses come sporadically, business owners generally oppose removing parking meters in front of their doors for a bus area, she said.

The parking advisory committee also directed Gurganus to examine the possibility of allowing buses to park on Estell Lee Place next to the Wilmington Convention Center.

<p>By the spring, tour buses visiting downtown Wilmington should have a new prime-time parking space.</p><p>At its Jan. 17 meeting, the city's Downtown Parking Advisory Committee voted to designate the 200 block of North Water Street as tour bus parking. Before signs are put up, traffic engineers need to sign off on the change, said Betty Gurganus, the city's parking manager. </p><p>The Water Street space – adjacent to the Water Street parking deck – is a passenger loading/unloading zone. But the official city-designated bus parking area is farther away at the 1100 block of North Fourth Street, between Swann and Nixon streets. Gurganus said the Fourth Street location is on the route of <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9963"><b>Wave Transit</b></a>'s free downtown trolley.</p><p>The change was made in response to a complaint about a tour bus that was ticketed last year and departed downtown early. In December, Wes Moore, who has operated Wilmington Trolley Co. for 15 years, wrote city leaders about an October parking incident that left him embarrassed for the city.</p><p>According to Moore, a church group from Winston-Salem boarded a bus to take a trip to the coast. The itinerary included a trolley tour in Wilmington, followed by lunch and shopping downtown. After that, the bus was going to depart for Myrtle Beach, S.C. </p><p>When the bus arrived, Moore directed the driver to park in the loading zone at the foot of Dock Street, which was empty. After the trolley tour, the bus had a yellow parking ticket on it. When the driver asked where he could move the bus, Moore had no good answer.</p><p>"They ended up skipping shopping and lunch and just headed on to Myrtle Beach," Moore said, noting that 45 people left without shopping or eating lunch.</p><p>Councilwoman Margaret Haynes called the incident disappointing, and Councilman Neil Anderson said the city needed to be more proactive.</p><p>Gurganus said the new Water Street bus parking area should not block traffic. The 80-foot space also has no parking meters. Because buses come sporadically, business owners generally oppose removing parking meters in front of their doors for a bus area, she said.</p><p>The parking advisory committee also directed Gurganus to examine the possibility of allowing buses to park on Estell Lee Place next to the <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic20"><b>Wilmington Convention Center</b></a>. </p><p><i></p><p>Julian March: 343-2099</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @julian_march</i></p>